ArtStop is a two-day celebration of the performing and visual arts in the Des Moines area. This will be the first-ever annual event connecting the Des Moines metro’s many cultural centers’ galleries, museums, performing arts centers and artists’ studios. This year’s event will take place on Friday, September 5th from 5pm to 9pm and again on Saturday, September 6th, from 11am to 7pm.

Participating galleries, businesses, restaurants, non-profit arts and performing centers and artists studios plan and host coordinating performances, exhibits, demonstrations or entertainment during the 2-day event. All you have to do is grab your friends and hop on the free ArtStop bus. The bus will take you around downtown to the events. Be sure to check out the bus schedule to find your best route. There are stops n the East Village, Valley Junction, Roosevelt Cultural District, Gateway West, Ingersoll Avenue and the Heritage Art Gallery.

Check out the ArtStop website for more details.

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Posted under Living Downtown
Tags: East Village | Gateway West

Another year for the Des Moines Art Festival has come to a close. This year’s attendance was over 210,000 for the three-day festival. Living downtown for the first time this year, I made several visits down to the Des Moines Art Festival this weekend with my friends, Rob, Rob and Todd. I even made a purchase of a piece of art that I thought was very unique from an artist by the name of Beau Tudzarov.

This year’s event took place again in Western Gateway Park. Based on guest and participant surveys from last year’s Des Moines Arts Festival, there was even a “green” theme present to emphasize recycling.

Art was featured from 175 visual artists from across the nation and Canada. Art was judged in 14 categories: 2-D mixed media, 3-D mixed media, ceramics, digital, drawing/pastels, fiber, glass, graphics/printmaking, jewelry, metalworks, painting, photography, sculpture and wood.

I really had a great time looking at art, listening to live music, seeing some live theatre performances and just mingling and socializing with friends and acquaintances. I’m already looking forward to next year’s event. I’m marking my calendar for June 26-28, 2009.

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Posted under Living Downtown
Tags: Art | Gateway West | Video